The As Yet Untitled JB Fic
by JaimeBlue
Summary: WIP 'Ace' Rimmer arrives in a familiar universe only to spot his old vessel, Starbug but is it 'his' Starbug?
1. Because You Loved Me

Yep, here I am, trying to write another smegging piece of fic :) And duh, if you haven't figured out that I write slash -- where have you been the last few months? I thought my name was infamous by now? ;)  
  
Anyway, I may keep it light, or it may get to NC-17. I'm posting as I go along, so when it starts getting a little 'higher' in rating (and temperature), I'll give you fair warning.  
  
And no, if this isn't funny, it's because it's not supposed to (except for the occasional joke every now and then -- I love to make people laugh). These days, my emotions are much more serious than they used to be, and my fic has begun to reflect that. Please enjoy anyway!  
  
I still haven't thought of a title, so feel free to suggest one and I'll see if I think it fits :) Here's a hint -- I have a nasty habit of naming fics after song titles or lyrics that I know well ;p  
  
Okay, enough of this, on to the fic...  
  
*****  
  
Disclaimer: They don't now, nor have they ever belonged to me. As we all know by now, Lister and Rimmer belong to each other, the Cat belongs to his mirror, Kryten to his ironing board, and Kochanski to her beloved bottle of warm salad cream (we all know why she doesn't like it cold, eh!)  
  
*****  
  
The tiny vessel ripped through time and space, it's sole occupant still trying to regain his breath from the dreadful fright he'd had. Out of anger and frustration, he banged his hand against the computer console before him.  
  
"Oooh, that's it baby, hit me again," the computer purred.  
  
"Oh, will you shut the smeg up!" the man cried in exasperation.  
  
"Just like that, Ace, talk dirty to me."  
  
The man groaned, wishing for the millionth time that he hadn't decided to abandon the only life he'd ever known for that of a hero. Seeing universe after universe of Arnold Rimmers, some smarter than he, some more popular, most essentially more likeable... all it had succeeded in doing was making him feel more and more depressed.  
  
He was just about ready to seek out another Rimmer to take his place just so he could put himself out of his misery.  
  
His only consolation was that in each universe, there was a Lister, a Cat, and a Kryten that were somewhere doing better than the ones he'd known on 'his' Red Dwarf. He shook his head, thinking how chipper Lister would be at that thought. The man's optimism was unflappably irritating, and he would only be happy at the thought that somewhere in some universe he was fulfilling his every dream, every wish.  
  
How he hated missing the man.  
  
It was the perfect punishment for him after all. He'd caused the deaths of hundreds on Red Dwarf, he'd lived his entire life as a useless smeghead, and his eternal reward was to live the life of a hero, all the while remembering and longing for the company of that gimp from his past. The idea was immensely confusing to him. He and Lister had done nothing but fight for years, and yet something (other than his unfortunate demise, of course) had kept them from killing each other or otherwise destroying themselves. He didn't know what, but whatever it was, it was certainly lacking in the lonely life he was now leading.  
  
A flirtatious voice pulled him from his reverie.  
  
"Oooh, baby, there's something big ahead, and I'm not talking about little Ace."  
  
Rimmer checked his console, then a second time, finally settling into a look of shock. It couldn't be. Had he truly found his way back to Starbug? Without a second thought, he opened a communications channel with the other ship.  
  
His shock only increased when an all-too familiar, yet strikingly different face appeared on his viewscreen. "Kris? Is that you?" asked the dark-skinned man with the silvery 'H' on his forehead.  
  
After taking a moment to remember how to breathe, Rimmer somehow found the brainpower to slip back into his 'Ace' persona. "Sorry, old squid, but it's just me, Ace Rimmer." He flashed one of Ace's patented smiles while inside he felt the hope that he'd found 'his' Lister dying.  
  
To his amazement, the Lister before him matched his smile and even managed to turn it up a notch. For some reason, that scared him more than the time he'd faced a million frothing Gorgons to save the Princess of Leto.  
  
"Rimmer? Is that you? I-I thought I'd never see you again, man! Krytie, open the doors and let him in already."  
  
With a subconscious shiver, Rimmer turned his vessel toward Starbug so that he could dock with the vessel. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he wondered why he'd never gotten such a smile from 'his' Lister. 


	2. Because You Loved Me 2

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Disclaimers in part 1  
  
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Rimmer sighed as he powered down his vessel. He could just imagine what lied waiting for him on the other side of the docking door -- a Dave Lister who was not only a hologram, but who was actually anxious to see him.  
  
He paused, considering his options. He *could* power up his ship and take off into another rift in time. He *could* leave without any knowledge of what this universe held. He *could* live the rest of his life without ever knowing what it was like to be on the receiving end of one of Lister's warm embraces.  
  
The problem was that he didn't want to leave. Something inside him felt the need to discover what waited behind that door. Gathering his courage, he rose from his seat and slowly stepped closer, until he could finally reach out to release the lock.  
  
As the doors opened and he walked from one ship to the next, he looked around him. It looked exactly like 'his' Starbug, and for a moment he allowed himself to imagine he was home.  
  
"Rimmer?" a voice shyly spoke from behind him.  
  
He turned to face a pair of shining eyes, possessed of an inner glow that broke down his defences. "Lister, it's good to see you again," he replied, his brain not quite connecting to the 'Ace' persona in his mind. Instinctively, he took a step forward and extended his arm to the other man.  
  
"No, don't!" Lister cried, holding his hands up.  
  
A perplexed Rimmer stoped mid-motion. After a moment, he thought he'd figured out what had upset Lister. "You're soft light, aren't you."  
  
Lister nodded. "A short while ago, my light bee was damaged and the only one remaining was soft light. I can't touch anything..."  
  
Rimmer smiled a soft smile and stepped closer, moving his extended hand to take one of Lister's, clasping it tightly much to the hologram's obvious shock. "We have something in common. I'm still hard light, but I can still touch you."  
  
Lister's eyes widened and suddenly, without warning, he moved forward to wrap his arms around Rimmer. "It's been so long since I've touched anyone or anything, and I'm so happy it's you. I'm going to make it all up to you, Arnold. I promise."  
  
Rimmer's eyes closed as he absorbed the feel of Lister's arms around him. The only thought that broke through the sensation was a dark little voice wondering if he'd ever be able to leave this universe now that he knew what he could have. He mentally silenced the voice, instead moving to wrap his arms around Lister as he had dreamt of doing far too often. 


End file.
